Rás boasts strong line-up

CYCLING COLUMN:WITH THE start of the race now looming large, two more teams have been announced for this year's FBD Insurance Rás. A strong Polish national selection, plus the Stena Line Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk squad of former race winners Chris Newton and Kristian House, will be among those lining out at the race start in Navan on May 18th.

The Poland team travel to Ireland 45 years after Zbigniew Glowaty won the 1963 edition. The most experienced rider is Przemyslaw Niemiec, whose wins include stages in the Giro del Trentino (2005) and Route du Sud (2006), plus a stage victory and the overall classification in the 2005 Tour of Slovenia. Each are prestigious 2.1-ranked events.

He also triumphed in the one-day, 1.1-ranked Giro di Toscana in 2006.

Niemiec will be joined by Rafal Ratajczyk, Wojciech Dybel, Jaroslaw Dabrowski and Blazej Janiaczyk, all strong riders.

The Stena Line Rapha Condor Recycling selection sees 2003 and 2005 winner Newton aiming to add to his eight stage victories in the event. Team manager John Herety feels that because of a broken collarbone earlier this spring, the 34-year-old will not have the necessary form to challenge for overall honours.

But 2006 race winner Kristian House appears to be in very good shape: he won the King of the Mountains classification in the recent Tour du Loir et Cher in France, as well as placing ninth overall.

The team will also include 2007 Lincoln International GP winner Dean Downing, Rob Partridge and either Ryan Bonser or Dale Appleby, with the final place being determined closer to the event.

"The team would like to once again thank Stena for their sponsorship during the Rás," stated Herety in referring to its backing by the ferry company.

"We hope to be able to show off their brand along with those of our other sponsors by winning stages and getting involved with some aggressive racing."

Meanwhile, many of the Irish riders targeting the race will hone their form in this weekend's Tour of Ulster, based at Omagh. It starts tomorrow with an 80-mile road race and finishes with Monday's 70-mile trip.

The Corkman Three-Day is also taking place, as is a track racing open day at Sundrive Road.

FIXTURES:Saturday: Track open day, Eamonn Ceannt Park, Sundrive Road. Starts 11am. Saturday-Monday: Tour of Ulster, stage one starts from Omagh Leisure Centre at 11.45am. Corkman Three-Day, Kanturk. Sunday: IVCA DMS, Duleek. Starts 9.15am. WTCC TT Series race 2, starts from Rathnew/Wicklow exit on N11. Sign on from 9.15am, first rider off at 10am.